Screen orientation on Xiaomi Redmi 7: full instructions for setting up and troubleshooting

Xiaomi Redmi 7

screen orientation

Redmi 7

Redmi 7 features accelerometer and gyroscope to determine position in space. These sensors can diverge over time in calibration, especially after drops or firmware updates. MIUI also has a flexible orientation control system that allows you to block rotation for individual applications or completely turn off autorotation. If you notice that the screen is not behaving properly, it is not always a hardware problem. 80% of cases are due to settings or software failures that are easy to fix yourself.

Before you start settings, make sure your Redmi 7 is running the current version of MIUI. To check, go to Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version. If the version is older than MIUI 12, we recommend updating – new firmware has improved processing of sensor data. Also check if third-party orientation management applications (such as Rotation Control or Set Orientation) are installed that may conflict with system settings.

What is the screen orientation and how does it work on the Redmi 7?

Screen orientation is a feature that determines how content will be displayed on a smartphone display: in portrait (vertical) or landscape (horizontal) mode. On the Xiaomi Redmi 7, two key components are responsible for this:

• 🔄 The accelerometer measures acceleration and determines the angle of the device, and it detects when you turn the phone from vertical to horizontal.
• 🌀 The gyroscope complements the accelerometer by tracking rotation along three axes, which allows you to more accurately determine the position in space, for example, when playing or using a game. AR-applications.

The sensor data is processed by MIUI, which decides on the rules to turn the screen, for example, in most applications (messengers, browsers), autorotation is turned off by default to avoid accidental activations, and in video players or games, it is activated automatically.

The Redmi 7 has three main orientation modes:

1. Autoturn – the screen rotates depending on the position of the phone.
2. Portrait lock – the screen always stays vertical, even if you rotate the device.
3. Forced Landscape Mode – The screen is fixed in a horizontal position (not available in all versions of MIUI).

Fun fact: The Redmi 7 uses a Bosch BMI160 sensor that combines an accelerometer and a gyroscope in a single chip, which reduces power consumption compared to individual sensors, but sometimes leads to calibration conflicts.

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If you use your phone horizontally frequently (for example, for reading or playing), turn on the developer settings to “Do not turn off the screen when charging” and this will prevent the display from accidentally turning off during prolonged use.

How to turn on or off the screen autoturn

The basic orientation setting for Redmi 7 is done through the Quick Settings Panel or the settings menu.

1. Unlock your phone and swipe down from top to bottom to open the notification panel.
2. Find the Autoturn icon (usually depicted as a circular-arrow phone) and if it's not, swipe down again to open the full panel.
3. Tap the icon to turn the function on or off. Active mode is highlighted in blue.

If the icon is not on the panel, it can be added:

1. Click on the pencil icon (✏️) at the top right corner of the notification panel.
2. Find it in the Autoturn list and drag it to the active area.
3. Save the changes by clicking on the checkmark or the Ready button.

An alternative way is through system settings:

1. Go to Settings. → Screen.
2. Select the Autoturn screen option.
3. Activate or deactivate the switch.

Some versions of MIUI (e.g. MIUI 12.5) offer advanced autorotation settings for individual applications.

1. Open the Settings. → Special facilities.
2. Select Screen Autoturn.
3. Activate the option to control the rotation for applications.
4. In the list, select the applications for which you want to block or allow autoturn.

Notifications Panel → Autoturn icon turned on

Settings → Screen → Autoturn activated

No conflicting applications (e.g. Rotation Locker)

Sensors are not blocked by a cover or magnet-->

Why the autoturn does not work: diagnosis of problems

If the Redmi 7 screen doesn't turn when the phone changes position, the reasons could be both software and hardware.

1. Programmatic failures

• 🔄 Application conflict: Some programs (such as launchers or optimizers) may block autoturn. Try restarting your phone in Safe Mode (press the power button). → Safe Mode. If the autorotor is working, delete the recently installed apps.
• 📱 Failure MIUI: After the firmware update, the sensor settings may be lost. Try resetting the screen settings: → System system → Resetting settings → Reset the screen settings.
• 🛠️ Calibration error: sensors may differ in the parameters. To recalibrate, follow the steps in the next section.

Hardware problems

• 🧲 Magnets: If you use a magnetic lock case or hold your phone near powerful magnets (like in a car), the sensors may lock. remove the magnetic field source and reboot the device.
• 💥 Sensor damage: After falls or impacts, the accelerometer/gyroscope may fail. Check their operation through the engineering menu (instruction below).
• 🔋 Low battery charge: at a charge level below 15% MIUI It can limit the sensors to save energy. Connect the charger and check again.

3. Features of MIUI

⚠️ Note: In some versions MIUI For Redmi 7, autorotate automatically if the phone is on a flat surface (like a table) to prevent accidental triggers.

For quick diagnosis, use built-in sensor testing:

1. In the phone app, type the code ##6484## (or #4636## → Testing).
2. Select Sensor Test or Sensors.
3. Check the response of the Accelerometer and the Gyroscope when you turn your phone. If the values don't change, the sensors are faulty.

Calibration of orientation sensors: step-by-step instructions

If the Redmi 7 sensors are not working properly (for example, the screen is turning late or in the wrong direction), they can be recalibrated, which resets the current settings and forces the system to re-determine the "zero" position of the device.

Method 1: Through the Engineering Menu

1. Open the phone app and enter the code: ##6484##.
2. Select Sensor Calibration or Sensor Calibration.
3. Follow the instructions on the screen: usually put the phone on a flat surface and then turn it in different directions.
4. Once completed, restart the device.

Method 2: Through the Compass application

Method 3: Manual calibration via ADB (for advanced users)

If standard methods don’t work, you can reset the sensors via ADB:

adb shell


su




echo 1 > /sys/class/sensors/accelerometer/calibration




echo 1 > /sys/class/sensors/gyroscope/calibration




reboot

⚠️ Note: This method requires root rights and enabled debugging USB. The wrong commands can cause the system to fail. Use only if you are confident in your actions!

After calibration, check the autorotation in different applications, and if the problem persists, the sensors may be physically damaged and need to be replaced.

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Calibration of sensors is recommended after each major update MIUI or mechanical impact on the phone (falls, bumps).

How to Block Orientation for Individual Applications

MIUI has a useful feature that allows you to flexibly adjust auto-turn for each application separately, for example, you can block a turn on WhatsApp, but keep it active on YouTube.

Step 1: Enable advanced autoturn settings

1. Go to Settings. → Special facilities.
2. Select Screen Autoturn.
3. Activate the option to turn control for applications (in some versions of MIUI it is called Individual turn settings).

Step 2: Set up rules for applications

1. In the same menu, click on the Apps List.
2. Select an app from a list (like Chrome).
3. Set one of three values: 🔄 Follow system settings (a global autoturn mode is used). 🔒 Portrait Mode (always vertically). 📺 Turning (allowing a turn).

Repeat for other applications as needed.

If the application is not in the list:

1. Open this app.
2. Pull the notification bar down and hold the Autoturn icon.
3. In the menu that appears, select Block Turn for this application.

Example of settings for popular applications:

Solving Orientation Problems After MIUI Update

Firmware updates often cause sensor malfunctions, because newer versions of MIUI can change the algorithms for processing data from the accelerometer and gyroscope. If the autorotor stopped working after the update, try the following steps:

1. Resetting screen settings

1. Go to Settings → System → Resetting settings.
2. Select Reset screen settings (not to be confused with a full reset!).
3. Confirm the action and restart the phone.

2. Cleaning the cache of system services

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Press three points (⋮) in the upper right corner and select Show System Processes.
3. Find Sensor Service and System UI.
4. For each of them, click the Warehouse → Clear the cache.
5. Reset the device.

3. rollback to the previous version of MIUI

If the problem has occurred after the update and is not solved in other ways, you can return the previous firmware.

To install these applications:

1. Download. APK-file from the official website or Google Play.
2. If the installation is blocked, allow installation from unknown sources: Settings → Security → Unknown sources.
3. Launch the application and provide the necessary permissions (access to special features).
4. Configure the orientation rules according to the instructions in the application.

Important: When using third-party orientation management apps, disable the built-in autorotation function in MIUI to avoid conflicts.

If you prefer not to install additional programs, you can use the developer mode to force the change of orientation:

1. Activate Developer Mode: Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (click 7 times).
2. Back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers.
3. Find the option Forced orientation and select the desired position.

Frequent questions about screen orientation on Redmi 7